6 villages for 2006 : Vietnam
20/02/2006
SOS Children's Village in Dong Hoi, Vietnam
Even though the soil is fertile and the climate is subtropical, Vietnam is one of the world's poorest countries. The war from 1954 to 1975 cost the lives of some 1 million people and about as many children lost their parents.
The first post war SOS Children's Village opened in 1987. Now, we have ten Children's Villages and numerous educational and social centres in Vietnam, which is the 13th most highly populated country in the world, with some 80 million inhabitants (2002).
The new SOS Children's Village will be in the city of Dong Hoi in the central province of Quang Binh. The region is in one of the economically weakest areas of the country economically. Most people strive for income security through agricultural activities, but harvests are repeatedly wrecked by whirlwinds and floods. Approximately a third of the population live under the poverty line and they can do little to help the parentless children who have to struggle to survive in cities as well as in the country.
The SOS Children's Village in Dong Hoi is being built for 120 children who are on their own. A nursery is also being built to help local families.
Relevant Countries: Vietnam.